EU warns of Bisphenol health threat

The EU food safety watchdog warned Friday that exposure levels to Bisphenol A (BPA), already implicated as a health concern for babies, should be cut by a factor of 10.

The European Food Safety Authority said a review of recent studies showed "exposure to BPA is likely to adversely affect the kidney and liver, as well as causing effects on the mammary gland."

BPA may also have an effect on the "reproductive, nervous, immune, metabolic and cardiovascular systems, as well as in the development of cancer," it said.

Although this link is not "considered likely at present," the possibility adds "to the overall uncertainty about the risks of the substance," it said in a statement.

Accordingly, it recommended that the tolerable daily intake of BPA be cut by a factor of 10, on a temporary basis.

At the same time, the EFSA said the "health risk for all population groups is low - including for foetuses, infants, young children and adults," given current exposure levels which are already below its recommendation.

The presence of BPA, a synthetic compound found in certain plastics, has sparked a ban on baby feeding bottles. It is also found in cash register receipts and in the linings of food cans.

Some studies have suggested it can disrupt hormones and tests on laboratory animals have linked it to brain and nervous system problems, reproductive disorders and obesity.

The EFSA said it was now launching a public consultation on its findings through to March 13, with conclusions due later in the year.

Related Stories

The European Union's food safety watchdog said Thursday that human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that has triggered health fears and a ban on baby feeding bottles, is far lower than thought.

The French parliament voted Thursday to ban the use of bisphenol A, a chemical thought to have a toxic effect on the brain and nervous system, in baby food packaging next year and all food containers in 2015.

France said Tuesday it would call for Europe-wide controls on a paper product containing bisphenol A after a watchdog agency said the widely-used chemical may expose unborn children to breast cancer later in life.

New research suggests that high levels of BPA, a chemical in many plastics and canned food linings, might raise the risk of miscarriage in women prone to that problem or having trouble getting pregnant.

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